V22. Three months have passed between verses 21, and 22. It is winter.
The previous feast was that of Tabernacles; late September or October.
The time is now around December 18 according to our calendar.
The Feast Of Dedication
Celebrated from December 18-25, also known as Hanukkah.
Adam Clarke- This was a feast instituted by Judas Maccabeus, in commemoration of his purifying the temple after it had been defiled by Antiochus Epiphanes. When Antiochus had heard that the Jews had made great rejoicings, on account of a report that had been spread of his death, he hastened out of Egypt to Jerusalem, took the city by storm, and slew of the inhabitants in three days forty thousand persons; and forty thousand more he sold for slaves to the neighboring nations. Not contented with this, he sacrificed a great sow on the altar of burnt offerings; and, broth being made by his command of some of the flesh, he sprinkled it all over the temple, that he might defile it to the uttermost. After this, the whole of the temple service seems to have been suspended for three years, great dilapidations having taken place also in various parts of the buildings. As Judas Maccabaeus not only restored the temple service, and cleansed it from pollution, etc., but also repaired the ruins of it, the feast was called the renovation. 164 B.C.
Great sense of national & religious pride. It was a celebration of a past victory against an ungodly occupying force, paralleling the current Roman occupation.
23 Solomon’s Porch A covered area on the Temple grounds. 200 yards long, on the east side.People gathered there to hear the rabbis teach. Jesus taught there also.
24 Jesus deliberately showed up where they frequented, and He taught the people.
Jesus had explained and demonstrated to them many times who He was.
Their refusal to believe was not due to lack of evidence or explanation.
“If you are the Christ”- literally, the anointed one sent from God.
Popular opinion and desire was to have another Judas Maccabeus: a political and military leader, who would drive out Rome like Maccabeus did against Antiochus Epiphanes.
NOTE- Some want a Jesus that will effect outward change but not ask for surrender.
Some ask Jesus to solve their problems, and when He doesn’t, they say that God failed them.
25 Jesus had told them who He was, but they didn’t believe Him. (7:37-39; 8:54-59; 10:1-18)
Jesus’ works were intended to provide proof as to Who He was. ( John 5:1-8; 9:1-7)
26They did not believe because they were not His sheep.
They had refused His words and works as evidence as to Who he was.
They decided that He was not the Good Shepherd, and their hearts were hardened.
Their refusal to believe showed their lack of faith, therefore they rejected the evidence.
27 Relationship With The Shepherd
Being a Christian is about relationship with Jesus, not rules or philosophy.
The God of the Bible is a communicating God; a God who speaks to the souls of people.
Jesus had been speaking to these men. He wanted them to receive Him. He invited them
Vs. 28, 29 “I give them”- present tense, not future tense. Eternal life starts at the moment of faith.
Eternal life- John 17:3 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
1 John 5:11, 12 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
They shall never perish- Unending, experiential, relationship with God. A glorified body suited for heaven.
Neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.– No human or demonic power could ever wrestle the child of God away from the presence of God. People or demons or even Satan may remove us from church, family, friends…but never from God.
Ironside- The Greek text is very strong at that point. What it literally says is, “They shall not ever perish forever.” Let’s read it that way: “‘I give unto them life forever and they shall never perish forever.'”
29To be in Jesus’ hand is to be in the Father’s hand, who is greater than all. 30The Good Shepherd Is One With The Father
One in nature, One in all the attributes of Godhead, and One in all the operations of those attributes: and so it is evident the Jews understood him, and sought to kill Him.
John 20:28 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
Colossians 2:9 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily…
31The Jews took up stones—To stone him as a blasphemer, Leviticus 24:14-16, because he said he was one with God. The evangelist adds the word again, because they had attempted to do this before, (John 8:59) but it seems they were prevented from doing this now by the following discourse. 32 Adam Clarke- Many good works have I showed you—I have healed your sick, delivered those of you who were possessed from the power of demons; I have fed multitudes of your poor, and I have taught you in all places, at all times, without expense, with patience; and is this my reward?
To show good works or good things is a Hebraism, which signifies to do them really, to give good things liberally.
Life Group Questions
What’s the best place you have ever visited?
What place would you like to visit?
Jesus went to the feast, even though it wasn’t a Biblical event, how do you know which cultural events a Christian should engage in and which we should avoid?
These religious leaders rejected Jesus in spite of overwhelming evidence. Have any of you ever “rejected Jesus” for a time because he didn’t fit your idea of what He should be?
5. Jesus the Good Shepherd gives so many amazing benefits to His sheep! What blessing from Jesus do you especially appreciate and would want others to experience?